We can no longer deny it: autumn has really arrived. In between the rain showers, we can enjoy the occasional watery sunshine, but it's about time to get into that conservatory for a big clean. So put on those thick jumpers and rain boots, and grab that shovel! Below we give you some tips to get your conservatory ready for the winter.

1. Pull out the plants and throw them on the compost heap. Are there still a few green tomatoes hiding between the branches? Then pick them and let them ripen indoors. We have tested a few methods for you in this article!

2. Give the conservatory a good scrubbing so that it is spic and span again. This is also the ideal time to take care of the work equipment.

 3. Many (vegetable) gardeners say you should replace the top 20 cm of soil in the greenhouse every year. This is not necessary at all if you have watered regularly during the growing season. The top layer may be drier, but when you go deeper into the soil, this is not the case. Have you hardly watered at all? Then the soil will have dried out completely and you will indeed have to supply new soil. After emptying the greenhouse, it is advisable to put it under water. During the summer, a lot of salts accumulate in the top layer and these sink along with the water to the lower layers. Our tip is to make some 'passages' in the earth and fill them with the collected rainwater. Is it snowing in the winter? Then you can shovel the snow into the greenhouse for extra watering, but waiting for snow is certainly not enough.

4. Did you have tomato plants in your greenhouse this summer? If so, you may have enjoyed a bountiful harvest. However, these juicy blushing fruits demand a lot from the soil and acidify the soil. So be sure to check the pH value of the soil, because there is a good chance that you will need to lime it back up to the correct level (between 6.5 and 7). The lime will be absorbed slowly by the soil.

5. Do you have some chickens in your garden? Then let them scratch around in the greenhouse! They keep the greenhouse weed-free and also provide free fertiliser.

6. And finally, our last tip: you have a beautiful greenhouse, so use it all year round! Just because it's winter doesn't mean you should abandon your greenhouse. For example, you can grow winter purslane and spinach in it. Or how about Belgian chicory roots?

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Enjoy the conservatory all year round, even in winter!